Australia & Pacific

Ceci n’est pas Luke’s Mum

Editor’s Note: Luke posted this last year for his mum. We thought it nicely captures the spirit of Mother’s Day, so we are re-posting Luke’s original ode today in honor of moms (and mums) everywhere.

Fighting my way to Sydney airport on Easter Thursday evening — along with 20,000 other travellers, dropper-offers and picker-uppers — I wondered whether my mother would enjoy the activities I’d lined up for her over the next couple of days. At 78 she shows no sign of slowing down. And short of a parachute jump there’s not much she wouldn’t try. So here are three totally different things to do in Sydney with your mother, your friends, your lover - or just you.

“Luke, I am your father…”

If you were any higher in Sydney it would be illegal. Sydney Skywalk is purportedly twice the height of the Sydney Harbour Bridge but only a tenth of the effort since you get to the top by elevator. The staff work hard to make your Skywalk a real event and have their jokes - and facts - down pat. The ultimate joke was on me of course, for not even realizing the significance of having the name “Luke” on my “SkyWalker” certificate.

Once kitted out with our overalls and radios and associated ear pieces, beanies, parkas and clipped-on this and double-tied that, were we ready to go outside. Mark my words - even on a sunny day it can be cold and windy up there. In fact it was only when I caught Mum wiping her nose on the beanie (also tethered to her overalls) that I realized I should have smuggled a tissue up for her.

Needless to say, the views from that height are sensational. At almost 900 feet high the glass floor section isn’t for the squeamish but then, neither is my Mum’s beanie after she’s done with it. There’s the added kudos of everyone staring at you as you file through the indoor public spaces toward the lift. (Oh alright - call it showing off).

Ice, Ice baby.

If I carry my Star Wars theme through to our next stop, it would be to note the uncanny resemblance my Mother bears to Yoda once she’s decked out in a fur-trimmed hooded parka that’s two sizes too large. Sydney’s Minus5 Ice Bar is on the Italian-style promenade linking Circular Quay with the Opera House, so if you’re visiting Sydney, you’re bound to be in the area. In a grown-up Willy Wonka kinda’ way you can eat your cocktail glass since it’s made purely out of ice. Steer clear of slurping from the little waterfall because it’s actually anti-freeze. Reindeer skins on big ice thrones lend it a great “Norse God” feeling.

The sun shone, the sea sparkled, the prawns were in abundance.

Sydneysiders can be so damn smug about their harbour and it’s days like these that you understand why. With nothing to do but load your plate with oysters and prawns, settle back at your window side table (if you’re lucky) and watch the harbor slip past and enjoy views that you just won’t get from land. It’s still a working harbor so mega-ton freighters piled high with shiny new cars vie for space with two- man skiffs and luxury yachts.

We joined the Sydney Harbour Magistic lunch cruise at King Street wharf; you can have a good wander around Cockle bay and the nearby Darling Harbour tourist precinct before or after your cruise. You can also join or leave the boat at Circular Quay, and now you know where Minus5 Ice Bar is, too. My secret tip? The little deck in front of the buffet was empty while everyone was chowing down so stake a table and toss a coin for who goes to the bar for the second glass of chardonnay.

The verdict’s in - Mum just called. Her flight’s landed and she’s home safely, tired but happy. I hope she didn’t really put a glass from the Ice Bar in her bag…

–Luke Crosthwaite

Browse Viator’s complete list of Sydney tours and things to do, Melbourne tours, and more things to do in Australia.

Cairns, Australia

The islands, beaches and rainforests that surround Cairns make it world famous – an essential stop on any trans-Australian itinerary. It’s the most popular base for diving or snorkeling over the magnificent Great Barrier Reef, but you might struggle to fit that in around the bungee jumping, hot-air ballooning, skydiving, fishing, white-water rafting and horse riding. Animal sanctuaries are plentiful, so you’re certain to indulge your koala-cuddling fetish, and there are miles of eco-friendly boardwalks that penetrate deep into the rainforest. We’ve pulled together our Suggested Itineraries in Cairns to make trip planning easier for you. Read on for our highlights.

Day 1: Best of Cairns

Take a full-day tour that combines the best of Cairns, Kuranda and their environs. The breathtaking Skyrail rides high above the rainforest canopy, before a 30-minute helicopter ride to a helipad on the Outer Great Barrier Reef. Maybe you’d prefer an early morning hot air balloon ride that and also takes in the Kuranda Scenic Railway and the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park theatres and museums?

If heights, pre-dawn starts and champagne at breakfast makes you feel queasy, try an all-day 4WD Daintree and Cape Tribulation Tour that will keep you on terra firma. Morning tea is taken at the Daintree River, and then you go deep into the world’s oldest rainforest.

Once your day-tour is over, head down to the Aussie BBQ at Cairns Night Zoo, which features steak, seafood and vegetarian options served with fresh salads and drinks. After ‘grub’ you’ll seek out owls by torchlight (flashlight), pat possums and koalas, and enjoy a traditional bush dance.

Day 2: Make Like a Fish, Make Like a Bird

The Discover Diving Program takes beginners and experienced divers to the Outer Barrier Reef 63 kilometres (40 miles) from Cairns for a day-long PADI-certificate course over the remarkable reef. Or sign up for a small-group diving and snorkelling tour to the Outer Barrier Reef or to Agincourt Ribbon Reef.

Skydiving in Cairns

If that’s too sedate, try the Tarzan-inspired Minjin Jungle Swing or (you know you want to …) a Cairns bungee jump from a 50 meter (164 feet) tower –- photos and DVDs can be purchased to show your friends what fear and trembling looks like on your face.

Are you just too tough for bungee jumping? Try firing yourself out of a canon or, better, skydiving in Cairns.

Once your pulse has normalized and the burnt-orange hues of day’s end begin to glow in the late-afternoon sky, it’s time to think about dinner. How about a four-course dinner cruise on the Ocean Spirit IV in placid Trinity Inlet?

Day 3: Oh My Aching Head… and Body!

So you’ve played hard during the day and partied hard at night, and now you need a more restful day. Cairns has a lovely foreshore pedestrian promenade and a 4,800-sq-kilometre saltwater swimming lagoon. You could sign up for the day-long Kuranda Skyrail and Rail tour and check out the hugely popular Skyrail then return to Cairns aboard the famous Kuranda Scenic Rail, winding around curves, across bridges, and through hand-hewn tunnels.

If that doesn’t sound appealing, breakfast at the Cairns Tropical Zoo includes breakfast at the Koala Café and an informative talk by the wildlife keeper.

For some evening entertainment, witness Dreamtime storytelling and performance with the Flames of the Forest Dining Experience in a secret forest clearing as dusk settles and the stars come out. A full three-course meal comprising high-end cuisine, bush ingredients and superb boutique wines accompanies an Aboriginal dance-and-music show. Also check out the Tjapukai by Night (read Kerrie’s recent post about the Tjapukai too).

This is just a sample of the oodles of things to see and do in this traveler’s paradise – browse our complete list of Cairns tours and things to do.

–Rowan M

I’m ashamed to admit I know only the bare essentials of Australian history - Captain Cook found us and decided to stick around, Ned Kelly ran around the country with a tin on his head, the ANZACs did us proud in WWI and a cyclone wiped out Darwin on Christmas Day in 1974 (I admit to Googling the year!). That’s pretty much my knowledge of Australian history. I know we are a very young country but I’m sure plenty more has happened in the past 220 years.

The problem I have is that with the very mention of the word “history” my eyes glaze over and my mind wands to a far away land. Don’t get me wrong, if I go somewhere with a long and eventful history I will check it out - I was fascinated by the Colosseum in Rome and will never forget seeing the Giza Pyramids in Cairo for the first time - but you won’t find me pouring through books and text to learn the history of a place before I get there. Ancient history is ok, full of gruesome stories and strange goings-on, but modern history - yawn!

On a recent trip to my heaven on earth - Port Douglas - I decided to remedy the situation and visit somewhere I had not been before in my numerous visits to paradise. I jumped on the Scenic Railway for a visit to Kuranda, a popular day trip from Cairns. The train ride goes up the mountains through the edge of the rain-forest with brilliant views over the city all the way down to the ocean. The building of the railway is an historical event in itself and there is commentary on the train as you travel, but as I said - eyes glazing over, mind wandering - I’m not a reliable source to repeat it to you.

Strolled around Kuranda markets, grabbed some lunch then headed back down to Cairns on the Skyrail, a cable car line over the top of the rain-forest which really is worth doing if you are in the area. Gives a whole different perspective of the rain-forest. Back on terra firma it was time for the last activity on our tour, a visit to Tjapukai (pronounced Jab-a-kigh) Aboriginal Cultural Park. Throughout school in Australia we learn a little about Aboriginal culture and history but most of what I remember is the ‘dream-time’ myths and legends. I know the indigenous people of Australia were badly treated by the first settlers but never really took an interest in learning the details.

Tjapukai is run by a local Aboriginal tribe and the small group of performers are very proud and passionate about their culture. You first see a live telling of the Aboriginal story of creation, before moving on to a music performance, of course featuring the didgeridoo and dancing. The there is a demonstration on how to make a didgeridoo, boomerang and spear throwing lessons (yes, its interactive so be prepared to duck!), and a presentation of bush medicines. It was all very interesting and enjoyable, but nothing ground breaking for me, just a pleasant day out.

To finish the visit at Tjapukai it was time for a short movie about the history of the Djabugay and Irukanydji people, the original inhabitants of this part of Australia. As the film began my mind already began to drift to thoughts of which restaurant to go to for dinner, but was abruptly brought back to focus as the story immediately highlighted the harsh reality of this part of Australian history.

The original owners of the land were hunted and slaughtered like animals - men, women and children. Those not killed were enslaved and forced to abandon their culture to adopt that of the Europeans. Their land was taken from them and they were not allowed to hunt and forage for food. Before there was time to process the brutality of the initial treatment, the film shows the ongoing affects of forced change and loss of identity suffered by descendants of these people. The struggle they face to find their place, trying to regain some of the rich culture and traditions almost lost 200 years ago, while coping with the ever changing modern world. The film finished on a positive note, profiling some of the ’success stories’ of the tribe today who are inspiring younger generations to forgive the past and re-embrace their heritage.

Seeing this film made it easier to understand and feel compassion for current day Aborigines who struggle with addictions and resentment. Our prime minister recently made a long overdue apology to the indigenous people of Australia and my visit to Tjapukai helped me understand why this was so important. It also inspired me to learn more about my own country’s history and find out how we got to where we are today.

Here at Viator we love to wax lyrical about the meaning of travel, why we travel, how we travel, whats the meaning of it all? For me its simple - I travel to learn. I think I can say on this occasion - I traveled, I learned - goal achieved.

-Kerrie O’Mahony

Editor’s Note: Jane has just started a new job at the State Department of Transport in an undisclosed location. Congratulations Jane, and keep the masses traveling.

Sunday morning, New York City, D Train

Get on the bus

There are all kinds of ways to see a city. If you take a tour, you’ll know you’re getting through all the highlights in an efficient and reliable way. Or you can jump on one of the many tourist-oriented transport options you find in big cities: San Francisco’s trolley cars, for example, the subway in New York City, or the City Circle antique tram in Melbourne.

Hopping on a bus, train or tram can give you a real insight into the lives of the locals. What do kids gossip about on their way to school? What are the latest fashions in office wear and mobile phones? What do old ladies buy at the market? What constitutes personal space in this culture? And how do people react when a drunk vomits on himself on the last train of the night?

The following is a small selection of some of the world’s great public transport trips – in other words, it’s only the ones I’ve been on. So get yourself on down to the comments page and let me know about the great trips I’ve missed.

San Francisco, USA: 33 Stanyan bus

When I lived in San Francisco, I’d catch the 33 Stanyan bus for kicks. The line starts a short stroll from The Presidio – a park with a great view of the Golden Gate bridge – then heads down Arguello Blvd until it hits the city’s hippy-and-buffalo hangout, Golden Gate Park. Stay in your seat for the ride down Haight Street (or hop off for a cocktail at Murio’s Trophy Room and a CD purchase or two at Amoeba) to the corner of Ashbury, where no matter how hard you look for history you’ll only see a Ben & Jerry’s outlet.

You’ll get a taste of San Francisco’s famous hills as you head up Ashbury Street. As you cross over 17th and make a couple of tight turns into Market you’ll get a spectacular view over the Mission District, San Francisco Bay and – if there’s no fog – maybe even Alameda. You could get off here and enjoy the view for a while, but the 33 isn’t legendary for its reliability, so ‘a while’ may constitute up to an hour.

The bus heads downhill to the corner of 18th and Castro in the heart of the Castro district, the city’s gay neighbourhood and another good candidate for a spot to alight. If you stay on you’ll make your way down 18th along the side of gorgeous Mission Dolores Park and on into the Latino-dominated Mission. On weekends, the bus terminates around here, so hop off as the bus crosses either Valencia or Dolores for a wander around hipster clothing stores and tasty taquerias. If you want a quicker route back to downtown, the BART train stops at the corner of 16th and Mission.

Melbourne, Australia: 96 tram

Melbourne, view from a tram window

National Geographic recently listed Melbourne’s 96 tram among the world’s top 10 tram trips. It doesn’t have the glamour and gorgeous views of other nominees, like the Lisbon 28 or the Budapest 2, but the 96 will take you around some of Melbourne’s top sights without the kitschy trappings of a more touristy tram.

The 96 starts its travels on Nicholson Street in the northern suburb of East Brunswick, currently just about the most fashionable hipster area in the city. Stroll over to parallel Lygon Street if you want to indulge in some mod-Lebanese at Rumi or a glass of pinot at the Alderman.

On its trip southward, the 96 skims the edge of Fitzroy – previous contender for most fashionable hipster area – and if you hop off at Johnston Street you can wander through the Spanish district to its heart, Brunswick Street. Otherwise, take a look out to the right as the tram passes the Carlton Gardens, home to the disconcertingly opulent Victorian-era Exhibition Building and its contrastingly modern neighbour, the Melbourne Museum. The tram then scoots past the steps of Parliament House, where there’s bound to be a bridal party or two lining up for photos, and along Bourke Street, downtown’s main artery and shopping strip.

At the south end of the city centre, the 96 heads east over the river and past Crown Casino, where most of your fellow passengers will alight, tempted by poker machines and cheap booze. Don’t do it! Stay on board and you’ll leave the streets and turn on to a disused rail line, a treat for public transport nerds. South Melbourne station is the stop for the South Melbourne Markets, where you can while away an hour or two tasting produce and buying ridiculously cute cupcakes. The tram rejoins street traffic at St Kilda, where you can take a ride on a 1912 rollercoaster at Luna Park or have a paddle at St Kilda beach, and terminates at Acland Street, home to some of the city’s most artery-clogging cake shops.

Prague, Czech Republic: 22 tram

Trams in Prague

The 22 tram in Prague is a beauty. It treads a fine line between tourist tram and actual mode of transport, but that’s just because it goes past so many spectacular attractions. It’s also popular with pickpockets, so it’s a good way of offloading any spare euros you have on you.

The 22 is one of the city’s longest routes, but for visitors its logical end points are probably Namesti Miru (or Peace Square) in Vinohrady and Prague Castle (though enthusiasts can stay on past the castle to visit the Hvezda summer palace and the site of the famous battle of Bila Hora).

Take the metro to Namesti Miru station, which has the city’s longest escalator and some of the best interior decoration in the metro system. Up above, there’s a pleasant church, restaurants and some lovely residential architecture. Hop on the tram as it runs towards the river, passing by the Gehry-designed ‘Dancing House’ on its way to the seemingly bubble-wrap-shrouded National Theatre. Cross the Vltava River on the Legii bridge – on the far side you can hop off and duck down a little flight of stairs to lovely, riverside Kampa Park, which leads to the tourist-thronged Charles Bridge.

The tram turns right on Ujezd, past backpacker fave cafe, Bohemia Bagel, and the funicular that runs up to Petrin Hill, home to a fake Eiffel Tower and a beautiful monastic library. You can also stop off at the church were the Infant of Prague lives – he’s an odd little Jesus figure who wears a frock and attracts hordes of pilgrims – or stay on until you get to Malostranske Namesti (Little Town Square) and the spectacularly baroque Church of St Nicholas, a stand-out even in this church-saturated city. From there it’s up a steep hill and you’re at the Castle gates.

My public transit wishlist

What I wouldn’t give to ride the Loop in Chicago and admire some of the most spectacular skyscraper architecture in the world. Less accessible, more dangerous but doubtless just as thrilling is the Simonstown suburban line in Cape Town, South Africa, which teeters along a sea cliff for much of its length (or so I’m told). India’s sparkling new Delhi metro doesn’t offer much in the way of sightseeing, what with being underground, but would surely be one of the world’s most interesting rides.

And this one is just a hunch, but given the alleged unpopularity of Santiago’s new bus system, I reckon a ride on the Transantiago would be a luxuriously uncrowded way to see the Santiago’s sites.

–Jane Rawson

What with all this talk about Las Vegas and deserts on these pages, I thought I shouldn’t be outdone and have decided to weigh in with my a bit of Outback kiss and tell — casino style, mind you. The only other casino in the desert that I’ve ever seen — well, the only other one since when I married my third wife on that shaky morning in Las Vegas before the only transvestite Elvis impersonator we could find at 3am on a Sunday — is the Lasseters Hotel Casino in none other than sunny Alice Springs.

No fear & loathing here, mate

Lasseter himself was a mad enough wanderer of the desert as he was, never known to impersonate Elvis, but to name a casino after him is bordering on a whole new kind of madness. Rumour has it that the sun-parched and heat-fatigued explorer happened upon a reef of purest gold out there in the Central Desert one fine day, only problem was he forgot exactly which cave he found it in. To this day hapless explorer-types and prospectors tarry for nought out there to repeat his lucky find. Suffice to say that not even his descendants have managed to repeat his trick, wherever it may be.

Which is not to say that you couldn’t manage some luck of your own in his namesake casino out on the lower east side of Alice Springs down near the Heavitree Gap. It’s a modern complex so there’s not space to tether your camel out front, but as with every casino the carpet is sure to entertain you enough should the free-running of your camel on the forecourt prove an inconvenience.

Like Lasseter, too, weary from the sun and deranged by the heat, you can wander in from the desert’s red sands to a windowless interior which knows not Time’s name, where you can while away the hours and perhaps enjoy that other benefit of a small town – running into similarly bereft fellow small-towners enjoying a run of luck, or more likely down on their’s too. Feel free to drown your sorrows at the bar with these surprise cameo travellers, but like all drinkers you’ll soon find that sorrows can swim too.

The high-roller bar is where the action’s at, and that’s not so much if you’re up for a gamble but more for a stylin’ night out. With enough glass surfaces and electric lighting to rival Koyaanisqatsi for over-awing surroundings (not to mention leather lounges too!) this little patch of paradise will have you reaching for the Cocktail List and ready to kick back and regale yourself with stories of how the outback was won and lost all in an afternoon. Some years ago we passed a happy eve in this place, dressed in our finest three piece suits to celebrate a fellow small-towner’s birthday, only the dreadlocks of my mate belying our true roots. Word got around and some weeks later I found out from an opportunity–shop friendly mate that worked at Lasseters, that the staff mistook us for over-paid drug dealers on a night out. And who’s to argue with that?

Midnight Oil, the former legendary superstars of Oz-Rock, once played on the lawns before the Alice Casino to celebrate its 21st Birthday – a gift from the Lasseter people to the town itself. Everybody turned out and a mighty time was had. The man that now calls himself the Australian Government’s Minister for the Environment (Peter Garrett) flung himself around on the stage for one of the last times before the band disbanded. A ripper time was had by one and all which goes to show the Outback’s not without its culture, and after the bash we all headed inside to have a gambol.

Tether your camel out front, then hit the slots

At the other end of the Territory there’s a Casino too — Sky City — and if you line the palm trees up just right as you walk up to its neon lit doors you could almost swear the letters they block could leave it spelling “Scarcity”. Like all great venues that are happy to accept all manner of clientele, as long as you can stand – you can come in. If you stagger a little then they’ll probably help you stand straight to get in the doors, long as you don’t blaspheme or spit.

Located right next to the famous Mindil Beach Markets, one of the northern shores’ biggest weekly markets with all things tropical and great food t’boot, Sky City is more than just a casino. In the dry season - which looking out at the clear horizon and lack of thunderclouds and cyclones means its starting just about now – the casino hosts some of the finest national and even international jazz out the back on a stage that makes Band Aid and Live8 look like they were just pub gigs. Just another reason to pull out that suit and make like a rich person again, drink a little plonk and get all Ocean’s Eleven out on the lawns with a little sunset and smooth tunes on the side. You, too, can lead the highlife just in time to get home for a barbeque and kangaroo steak and a coupla tropical strength beers.

–Jack Brown

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Alice Springs tours, things to do in the Australian Outback and — if you’re ready for a 3am Elvis wedding — Las Vegas tours, baby!

Last week, Canberra, Australia’s small capital city, played host to the controversial Olympic Torch as it makes its way around the world. Organisers described it as the most successful outing yet for the flame – which isn’t really saying much after the chaotic debacles of Paris, London and San Francisco and the security-deadened, almost invisible parades in cities such as New Delhi, Dar es Salaam, Islamabad and Jakarta.

To the outside world, it all looked fine. A crisp, clear Canberra morning, smiling faces, clean streets and a run uninterrupted by scuffles, attacks on the flame, disappearances into bayside warehouses or the heavy-handed actions of benign-looking men in matching blue tracksuits.

But all was not as it appeared.

Spurred into action by bad press on the relay to-date, the Australian Chinese community – and especially the large number of visiting Chinese students hosted by Australian universities – rallied to the defence of the torch relay and their (in their opinion much-maligned) country. Maybe 10,000 students bussed in from across Australia, and formed a formidable presence on the usually quiet streets of Canberra (population 330,000). Vastly outnumbering and – if media reports are to be believed – intimidating their pro-Tibet counterparts, the Chinese supporters ensured that, for the most part, all the cameras saw was a sea of red flags and support.

Perhaps this display of strength on the streets is part of the education of visiting students. Perhaps they’ll remember the feeling of getting out on the streets and defending what they believe to be right. And perhaps they’ll take that democratic spirit home. Perhaps.

The blue-tracksuited ‘Flame Attendants’ had dominated discussion in Australia in the lead-up to last week’s relay leg. All week Australian and Chinese security agencies contradicted each other about the role of this special force. Desperate to avoid the sorts of hands-on activities in London and other cities, Australian politicians and security agencies were clear that the Chinese tracksuit guys would have no security role to play. At all. Chinese officials said they would use their bodies to protect the flame. The Aussies said ‘No you won’t’. And so it went all week.

Australians were perhaps drawn to the tracksuit story out of nostalgia. Former Prime Minister John Howard was famous for his daily walks around Canberra and Sydney – escorted by security guards – and dressed in a patriotically coloured tracksuit. Since his loss at the polls in November, the tracksuit has all-but disappeared from Aussie cultural life. Enter the Chinese to restore order and give us something to talk about.

In the end, the Aussies prevailed. Footage even shows an Australian Federal Police officer giving one of the Flame Attendants’ a none-too-subtle shove out of the way during the run. Bet that doesn’t run on the nightly news in Xi’an or Beijing last week!

Another thing that won’t hit the airways in China is the sad fact that the once pure symbolism of the Olympic torch has been sullied. It once stood for pure sporting competition, showing a peaceful ideal that might exist in a world free of war and politics. But there’s no doubt that the Chinese government – modernising and improving at an astonishing rate but still guilty of reprehensible acts within its own borders – is using the Olympics to create goodwill. The torch, the relay and the Olympics themselves were sadly tarnished long ago by bad governments permitted to bask in the reflected glow of the greatest sporting event in the world. The Chinese aren’t the first – or possibly even the worst – but the hypocrisy of admonishing protesters and hiding behind the ‘Olympic Ideal’ while so blatantly committing human rights violations is every bit as noteworthy as Berlin in 1936 and Moscow in 1980.

So where does that leave the Olympic Flame – past Nagano, Japan, and Seoul, now on a respite guaranteed by a shuffle through the North Korean capital. And where does it leave the noble Olympic Games themselves? Same place they’ve always been – at an uncomfortable intersection between politics and sport, but now with more people than ever aware of the complications and contradictions of putting an unattainable ideal smack in the middle of everyday human stupidity.

–John Ryan

The UK has Rememberance Day, the US has Memorial Day and down under we have ANZAC Day. Every child in Australia and New Zealand knows December 25 is Christmas Day, and April 25 is ANZAC Day. During our time at school we learn about the day when Australia truly grew up and became a real country. Through uncertain economic times, racial divides and severe drought, there is one day of the year when all else is put aside and the nation comes together to share a few moments of silence as we say thank you to those who have gone to war to protect our freedom.

For those unfamiliar with the ANZAC story (ANZAC - Australia and New Zealand Army Corp), it revolves around the dreadful events of April 25 in Gallipoli. Still a young nation and eager to impress, troops were sent to Turkey as part of the allied offensive in the First World War. Poor intelligence and woeful communication meant that instead of landing on a flat open beach on the Gallipoli Peninsula, the troops sailed straight into an ambush as the Turkish forces took position on the cliffs surrounding the landing site and opened fire.

Anyone who has seen the first 20 minutes of the film Saving Private Ryan does not need to try too hard to imagine the horrific scenes that followed. While both sides suffered heavy casualties, by the end of the eight month battle, more than 8,000 young ANZACs had been killed.

This single event has become one of the most important days of the year for this part of the world. It’s a time to celebrate freedom and mateship, a day to be thankful for the sacrifices we will hopefully never have to see made during our lifetime. ANZAC Day is more than just a day off work, and unlike our other major national holiday of Australia Day, you will never hear anyone complain when the day falls midweek instead of next to a weekend. It’s not just another day and it never will be.

Many Australians commemorate the day at a Dawn Service. Rising in the early hours of the morning before the sun has risen, thousands of people converge on a site for a memorial service. Wreaths are laid, a two minute silence observed and concludes when a lone bugler plays the “Last Post”. The first time I attended dawn service on ANZAC Day I cried like a baby. I cried for men I never knew, I cried for their families and I cried for the loss of innocence of a nation as thousands of young lives were violently cut short. Not a year goes by without shedding a tear or two as I look back and reflect on that terrible time. Thousands make the pilgrimage to the site of the battle in Gallipoli itself, and it has become a regular part of the backpacking ritual through Europe.

Throughout Australia’s capital cities, war veterans and their families march proudly through the streets, heads held high, looking resplendent in their army uniforms pinned with medals. Sadly the last of the survivors from Gallipoli passed away in 2002, however since his death the tradition and depth of feeling seems to have increased each year. Its not all doom and gloom though! After the sombreness of the mornings events, the afternoon usually consists of beers shared around a BBQ and watching the traditional Essendon vs Collingwood AFL match. Let’s face it, the day is as much about being mates as it is about war. The bonds formed by the troops as they faced the most terrifying moments of their lives will never be broken.

ANZAC Day is not just about that fateful day in Gallipoli, it’s an opportunity to pay our respects to those who fight to protect not only our country, but others in need, be it in the World Wars, East Timor or Iraq.

Whatever your opinions are on war, there is a time to acknowledge that behind the fighting are people, real people.

Men and women who have real family and real friends. Men and women who have given up a “normal” life. Men and women who may pay the ultimate price for their sacrifices. If we get nothing else out of ANZAC Day we should remember to not forget the people behind the ugly face of war. While politicians argue and evil reigns, young lives are lost and families torn apart.

Lest we forget.

–Kerrie O’Mahony

So, roll down the invisible hill again, straight outta Darwin, to Katherine. Or just get straight Outta Katherine if you’re already there already. Like you didn’t know to (get Outta Katherine, that is). Head west, which means south, but those people got it all upside down already, because this time it’s Western Australia that you have in your sights, which is of course West, but the road from the Katherinites perspective somehow departs from Katherine South. Go West - where the big brown land gets bigger and browner and like a gameshow in the outback the rising escarpments say “Come on Down”.

The boab tree, nearly as funny as the Western Australians

So get set for adventure, boab trees (you’ll like this one) and the best weird post-Brutalist sculptures on any roadside ever. Anywhere. Guaranteed.

Onward to the post-brutal West

As you get some kilometres under your belt speeding in a westerly direction along the mighty Victoria Highway away from Katherine and its Hot Springs and Gorge, etcetera etcetera, then you’ll notice the landscape slowly start to rear up and buckle some. Hills are the hot new thing out here, and pretty soon it’s catching on: Big hills are the go and when the rolling wide spaces get the hang of that there are escarpments.

Timber Creek sets the heart a-moving, not for its Wayside Inn nor the quaint little houses on little stilts at the nearby Indigenous community, but for the great towering wall of rock that somehow resembles a giant red piano with its top aloft, ivories etched vertically into the face greeting you as you come over the rise. After flat for breakfast, flat for lunch and, yes, flat for dinner for so long, it’s great to see somewhere take some initiative and stand up for itself and really do something different.

Sure there’s an escarpment in Arnhem Land, out at Oenpelli (Gunbalanya), and another down from Darwin at Hayes Creek. Even Katherine has a gorge and a 20-metre drop into the river bed from the bridge over north of town. But as the landscape’s canvas gets pretty stretched the further west you go, its spots like as this that manage to stand out by virtue of their grand singularity. Or something like that.

Pick your jaw back off your lap, because you’ll probably run into some kind of steering problem with it hanging down there, and get on down the road as Gregory National Park comes beckoning your way. Heck, its got the annual Devil’s Claw Festival (starting May 21 this year) and if that doesn’t go off like a bucket of weeds in the sun then what does? If memory serves me correctly then Gregory is also the second-biggest national park in the Northern Territory, largely because we haven’t crossed the Western Australia border yet, and being big there’s bloody heaps so why not just go there and save the precious paragraphs for that roadside wonder!

Keep River National Park

Pack your swag and keep on west and Keep River National Park will wander by your wheels. A nice stop, there’s lots of national parky goodness and that usually entails a bunch of space, trees, wet bits like creeks et al, and some bits with animals and clumps of dirt. You get the picture?

And, reeling in back in my recliner and reaching for my pipe, I care now to reflect on the trip after New Yeah’s 2002 (that Was a new yeah, ask in Darwin) when we burnt across the border, pursued by nightly displays of thunderheads and lightning all the way to Kununurra. If you’ll allow me a moment more, I shall recall how in Keep River we stood under a covered area some 15-metres wide, bereft of real shelter as the approaching cyclonic winds rendering tent a funny way to use to T’s, and somehow the rain managed to fall horizontally, wetting the ground and us when the odds said we were undercover. (So mental note, January = wet, but subnote: spectacular.)

Suffice to say we packed the van again and drove through puddles that would score a mention on some maps as new formed lakes, as we skipped the last bit across the highway, missing much of Keep River NP’s natural splendour.

An interesting to point to note at this stage, much as the order you find out as you approach the WA border: that load of fresh fruit and veggies you bought back in Katherine to see you through the next two weeks - forget it. Make an omelette, curry, stew, meal or two right now because just for crossing an invisible dotted line you lost the right to own it. Quarantine restrictions mean NO biological matter (they’ll even take beeswax candles) can go across the border. Sad but true. And rumour has it these guys don’t even like fruit or veggies, preferring a steak to anything and scurvy is just another kind of necktie to them.

Beef Road Monument: Does it get any better???

And crikey! In all that interstate excitement I forgot clear about the wonder of the North itself, combining three of the most important words in the Australian Language: Beef Road Monument. Like some alien Monolith without the adoring apes, or even a runaway Picasso, this mighty block of concrete sporting the unique corrugated iron style is a Must for any family holiday. Damn, I rushed out of the car and hugged it I was so happy to see something that finally settled all my yearnings for beef, roads and monuments in one. It’s not clear how it relates to any of these things, but something inside of me just Knew. You’ve seen brutalism in architecture, there’s “post-“ just about everything as you’d know from any decent late-night campfire postulations (post-structuralist, post-modernist, post-arrivalist) and this thing is so post, that its pretty much post-post-Brutalist its so post-like and Brutal at the same time.

Do yourself a favour, go there and hug it so you know what true, unflinching gratitude can be.

Oh yeah, from there you can drive over the border and on to about one third of Australia’s land mass where you can find the Kimberleys in all their large and resplendent glorious, um… splendour. Rivers with wild crocodiles, gorges beyond description, boab trees (funny things) and Western Australians (even funnier). That’s if you find the need to tear yourself away from the Beef Road Monument. It should probably have National at the start of that, just so we can hang a flag there. I think I’m weeping…

–Jack Brown

Planning a trip? We think Jack is suggesting you check out things to do in Perth, Broome and the splendor of Western Australia, including the Kimberley. But you just never know with Jack.

I had to laugh when I saw this tongue-in-cheek ad campaign for Sydney, the result of another magazine-sponsored attempt to promote the war between cities that never seems to stop. Why is that? Why do cities have to battle each other over which is the “most livable,” “most cosmopolitan” or, even more ridiculous, the “best.”

Mate, I like ‘em all!

For all the same reasons life wouldn’t be much fun if we all looked alike, dressed alike, thought alike or spoke the same way, it’s just really, really good that the world’s major cities are so incredibly un-alike. I hate leaving Sydney and my beloved Bondi Beach, but walking down Piccadilly and through Green Park isn’t too shabby an experience either, and it’s certainly not one you’ll find in Sydney.

That got me to thinking: what are the things I like to do as soon as I arrive in one of these cities, the things that make me glad I’m there? So I made a list.

Ode to the World’s Great Cities

In San Francisco I wait until the weekend (Sunday is best because there’s less traffic) and drive to Treasure Island just before sundown. San Francisco’s skyline is like nothing else; lots of hills, lots of white, tons of quirky buildings and monuments, two big, bold bridges, a huge bay, Alcatraz… there’s a lot to see and it’s all very definitely San Francisco, you couldn’t for a minute confuse it with anywhere else. I see this view in front of an invariably orange sunset and I feel good about being there; that’s a good thing.

London is for walking. Straight out the hotel door, left, right it doesn’t really matter. I keep my eyes open for a park, grab a newspaper — what other city has so many quality daily papers on offer? — and sit myself down on a bench to consume the day’s news. Then on in search of a new pub: with any luck there’ll be a football game on and a partisan crowd to watch it with. Not being a beer drinker is a bit of an impediment, but wine and spirits have the same effect. How many great parks and pubs are there in London? I don’t know, I’m still counting…

Paris is all about watching. Don’t feel guilty: French women — and men too, for that matter — would be annoyed if you didn’t notice how sexy they look in their new Christian Lacroix outfit, their favourite leather jacket, or whatever. They dressed up for you, don’t you get it? So right after unpacking I find a comfortable chair at a cafe on a busy boulevard, pretend to make important phone calls, glance occasionally at the Herald Tribune crossword… and watch the world of Paris go by. Give it a try, and for goodness sake don’t feel bad about it.

Bangkok is for the food. I talked to a couple from New Zealand just the other day, they’d been in Bangkok five days already and admitted they’d had all their meals at the hotel, “it just seemed safest.” OK, if that’s your attitude then maybe this isn’t the city for you. There’s about a zillion street vendors in Bangkok, selling the widest and wildest variety of food and drink you can imagine, so that’s my immersion technique as soon as I land. I’ve even been known to have the cab driver stop before I get to the hotel if I happen to see a vendor doing those little roti-style sweets with egg and carnation milk, rolled up like a crepe. Strike me pink, as my Dad used to say, they’re delicious. Anyway, after one of those I know I’m in Bangkok…

I like visiting Melbourne in winter best of all. That’s because I can go straight from the airport to the football. I mean Australian Rules Football, the real game — maybe that’s not an argument we want to have here — but suffice to say there’s nothing quite like being in a crowd of 80,000 at the MCG, watching Collingwood battle it out with one of their traditional enemies. I know exactly where I am when I hear that roar of “Ball!” go up from 50,000 of our fans — Collingwood supporters are always in the majority — and frankly it doesn’t really matter whether we win or lose, it’s just so Melbourne, so perfect, so unique an experience. Visiting in summer? The cricket works pretty well too…

I find myself in New York a couple of times each year. I don’t mind what season it is, because I know how to connect right away: grab the Times or the New Yorker and check the entertainment listings. Doesn’t matter what month it is, there’s always two or three acts in town that I don’t even have to think twice about wanting to see. And if they’re sold out, it doesn’t matter, just head down to the lower east side and randomise! Any act that’s good enough to get a gig in New York City is worth seeing; there’s tons of great venues, the crowds are always interesting, and if you don’t like the headliner you’ll probably die for the support act. Never fails me…

Got some favourite things to do in favourite cities, the ones you visit all the time and love coming back to? Hit that comments button, OK?

–Rod Cuthbert

So what is Viator’s Traveler of the Month?

Before we answer that, let’s back up a little. Recently we started publishing photos over on the viator.com website. These are photos taken by actual Viator travelers, photos of themselves on elephant treks, helicopter tours, desert safaris, private tours of the Vatican — and on hundreds of the other 5,000+ tours and things to do available on Viator.

So we’ve started giving props each month to an individual Viator traveler who makes us laugh, makes us smile, or who inspires us to make that next trip. It might be the prettiest traveler photo, or the funniest, or most inspirational, or just most plain weird.

What do you win? A $100 gift certificate (or the equivalent in pounds or euros) to use on Viator.com! So get traveling, take photos and submit them to viator.com when you return. If you want to participate, simply submit your travel photos (see below for how this works) and you are eligible. Each month we will chose a new winner.

This month we’re pleased to honor James & Michelle for their Egypt trip photos.

April Travelers of the Month - James & Michelle, United Kingdom

Michelle and James went on a trip to Cairo, Egypt and had a wonderful time exploring the different pyramids on their private tour to the Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis and Sakkara. James submitted some really fun photos of their trip to the Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis and Sakkara in Cairo. This is a great tour to get the full pyramid experience in Egypt.

James said, “This was a great day out. We had a few laughs along the way. The guide was brilliant.”

March Traveler of the Month - Alexandra S, Australia

Alexandra S and her family recently went on a trip to Fiji and based on her photos and captions, they had a blast. The photo above is from the South Sea Island Day Cruise where they snorkeled and relaxed by the pool. Alexandra submitted some great photos of the South Sea Island Day Cruise in Fiji. If you’re looking to relax and have a fun trip with the kids in Fiji, Alexandra recommends this tour.

Alexandra says: “Kris has given his thumbs up for this experience. This is definitely a trip to take especially if you have kids.”

February Traveler of the Month - James A, UK

Here’s a shot taken by James A in Rome, on the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Rome Walking Tour. James submitted some great photos of Rome and the inside of the Vatican. And, according to James’ review he’s glad he booked ahead because the line to get into the Vatican was over 2.5 hours long!

James says: “We were enjoying our tour within 15 minutes, and the guide brought the Vatican alive. There is so much to see you simply would not enjoy any other way as it would not mean much without being explained. The headsets you are given for the tour are fab, and you can hear loud and clear what your guide is saying. We normally do our own thing on holiday; however, this is one of the rare places which the tour works very well.”

January Traveler of the Month - Sumit B, USA

Sumit B seems to be having a good time at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Las Vegas, which he visited after purchasing the Las Vegas Power Pass. Sumit, his wife and his two embarrassed children met Beyonce, the Terminator, Johnny Depp, George Bush and Jenna Jameson, among others. Hopefully his wife forgives him for all of the photos with other women.

–The Viator Travel Team

Editor’s Note: We’ve posted the photos submitted by our Travelers of the Month over on the Viator Flickr site. Hop on over for some inspiration for your next trip.

How can you submit photos to Viator’s Traveler of the Month contest? It’s simple: book a tour with Viator and, when you return, you will receive a “Welcome Back” email. This email will invite you to submit reviews and photos of the tours and things to do on your trip. Tell other travelers what you loved, what you hated and show them in a photo. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.